Polaris

Daughter loves this book!

The ship Polaris is on a scientific mission in the 1830s to explore the Amazon. Most of the ship’s crew sets out on a scientific exploration of the jungle, with many of the 12 year old deckhands anxiously awaiting their return. Half the crew never returns, but those who survive manage to obtain a specimen from the jungle. The crew saw something frightening in the jungle that spooked them all, and there’s a strange sickness spreading on the boat.After returning back to the ship, deck hand Obed Macy is sent to lock the specimen away deep within the ship. Knowing that something spooky is happening with the specimen, the crew wants it as far away from them as possible. While Obed is securing it far away below deck, the rest of the kids are locked in the captain’s quarters so they don’t see what happens next.A mutiny takes place. The kids hear the yelling and fighting, and then sounds of the crew abandoning ship. Once the kids free themselves, they find that all the adults have fled the ship and have sailed away using a life boat. With no other boats for the kids to use, they must take control of Polaris and return it back to America.As they start to sail, Obed still hasn’t shown up and there’s a weird, sweet fungus smell coming from below the deck. The group explores the dark, dank recesses of the ship looking for Obed. They learn quickly that there is something hideous on the ship with them.The struggle to sail the boat with a skeleton crew of children is made harder because of the monster below deck that’s growing stronger every day. The kids will have to sail safely back to America while also trying to destroy the monster. They will have to come up with a plan sooner or later to destroy the monster before it destroys them.Northrop has an amazing knack for pacing and suspense, and Polaris has both. Polaris is the perfect mix of fun, adventure, and horror that will keep readers hooked and spooked all throughout the book. Northrop clearly put a lot of time into researching the nuts and bolts of sailing a large ship like the Polaris, and it adds to the pacing and plot development. I would recommend this book for fans of horror books, including fans of Dan Poblocki and R. L. Stine. (Stine’s recommendation of this book is even on the cover!)

Returning from a scientific expedition to the Amazon in the 1830s, the ship Polaris is infected by a mysterious plague that spreads among members of the crew. When a mutiny leaves the ship in the hands of six children who work as cabin boys, the difficult decision is made to steer for home. But while the kids are dealing with their feelings of loss, the conflicts that arise among them, and the perils of the sea, something deadly is growing belowdecks that will put their skills and their faith in each other to the test.My son has moved on to reading Darwin's "On the Origin of Species," one of the key pre-texts to Northrop's historical science fiction adventure. But Northrop's book is the kind he would have loved only a few years ago: it's got a driving plot, sympathetic characters, and a really cool monster. The historical details, particularly those having to do with life aboard a 19th-century sailing vessel, convey a strong feeling of authenticity, while the science is just plausible enough to sustain the flights of imagination. I think my son would have especially liked the character of Henry, the studious lad who puts his scientific knowledge to use in combating the creature among them. But he would also have identified with strong-willed Owen, nephew to the slain captain and thus a child who feels obligated to take on an adult's job. Overall, the cast of characters is varied enough to strike the fancy of diverse young readers, boys and girls alike. And the monster....Well, I'm a monster guy. And this one is particularly grisly. So even as an adult reader, I found myself flipping pages as eagerly as the target group for this lively and scary middle grade novel.

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.This is an interesting blend of science fiction and historical fiction, with the science being natural science rather than technology. The characters have quite an adventure, and as they progress on this harrowing journey, they learn how and how not to work together. And it is quite an adventure, with danger at every turn. My gag reflex kicked in when the author described the creature living in the hold, but kids will love it. The book seemed to drag on a bit with no real progress toward the resolution near the end, but it finally came around and was good.

I received this book from #kidlitexchange to read and give an honest review. All opinions are my own. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Polaris by Michael Northrop is a great scary read for middle graders. Six children locked in a cabin and left for dead on a ship quickly put all of their sailing skills to use to save themselves only to find a creature living below the decks of their ship. A thrilling tale of survival and sacrifice teach the children loyalty and friendship.

11 year old son loves this book!